Reaching Students Outside of Traditional Library Instruction
Creating Online Tutorials to Reach a
New Generation of Information Users
Tips for Creating Streaming Media Tutorials
Many software packages at varying prices are available to make
online video tutorials (ex. Camtasia Studio, Captivate)
Dual Coding Theory (Paivio): Learning is enhanced when visual and
verbal elements are combined in a meaningful way (ex. Mnemonic device).
Therefore, effective video tutorials integrate audio and animation.
Cindy Craig, Social Sciences Librarian
Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller): Working memory has a limited
Wichita State University capacity to take in new information. To decrease cognitive load, minimize
cindy.craig@wichita.edu unnecessary elements in tutorials (ex. Background music, subtitles, etc.)
Many tutorials feature interactive elements, such as games, to keep
Curt G. Friehs, Business Librarian students engaged. However, interactivity may decrease learning by increasing
Kansas City, Kansas Public Library cognitive load. Novice learners benefit the least from interactivity.
cfriehs@kckpl.lib.ks.us
Research
Librarians at Wichita State University have made short videos called
“Wutorials” that combine animated screen capture and voice narration. The
videos are short and are like a brief library instruction session.
Poster Session V In our first study, a group of finance students were surveyed after
McCormick Place viewing a “Wutorial” on the Value Line online resource. Most students felt that
online instruction was conducive to learning. Interestingly, face-to-face
11:00 am-12:30 pm Monday, July 13th instruction was preferred nearly two to one over online instruction.
In our second study, groups of biology students viewed either a
narrated video tutorial or an interactive HTML tutorial about the BIOSIS
Previews database. The material in both tutorials was the same, only the
formats were different. After viewing, students completed a survey and a short
quiz. The students who watched the video tutorial felt more confident using
the database. They also scored higher on all five quiz questions than the
students who watched the HTML tutorial.
Literature Sources
Sweller, J. (1994). Cognitive load theory, learning difficulty, and
Instructional design. Learning and Instruction, 4, 295—312.
Mayer, R. E. (1993). Illustrations that instruct. In R. Glaser (Ed.),
Advances in Instructional Psychology (vol. 4), 253—284, Hillsdale, NJ:
L. Erlbaum Assoc.
Paivio, A. (1986). Mental representations: a dual coding approach. Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
Online Tutorials
Value Line Online tutorial (video):
library.wichita.edu/reference/Tutorials/ValueLine/ValueLine.html
BIOSIS Previews tutorial (video version): tinyurl.com/6s2vrw
BIOSIS Previews tutorial (HTML version): tinyurl.com/6gwsnl
Useful Software
Camtasia Studio: www.techsmith.com/camtasia.asp
Adobe Captivate: www.adobe.com/products/captivate/
SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences): www.spss.com